First Person/Inquiry Application: I remember reading when I was younger that people with a name that featured a common first name with the addition of son on the end, such as Johnson or Williamson, resulted from father's having a son named after themselves so that when the son was out people would say that is John John's son. And it eventually became a surname. My name John Wadlington Johnson comes from my father whose name I share with him and his father. My father was best friend's with his father as an honor to him I was named for him. I have asked where the name Wadlington came from in the past but the only answer I've received it was the name of a rich white family that lived near my grandfather's family when he was growing up. I do not know the meaning of the name but I know that John originates in the hebrew and means God's is gracious.
I did not know that John was the English form of the Greek Johannes. People often assume my name is short for Jonathon but never assume it has anything in common with Johannes. John has also been the first name of four presidents. As an American family name, Johnson has absorbed patronymics and many other derivatives of this name in continental European languages.
For my assignment I would look up everyone's name meaning once I had my class roster. On the first day I would call out the meaning of someone's and see if a person in the class thought it was the meaning of their name or perhaps they knew before hand. I would see if the class agreed just based on first impressions. It could be a part of a lesson explaining it is impossible to know people properly from first impressions but still be fun at the same time.
I remember reading when I was younger that people with a name that featured a common first name with the addition of son on the end, such as Johnson or Williamson, resulted from father's having a son named after themselves so that when the son was out people would say that is John John's son. And it eventually became a surname. My name John Wadlington Johnson comes from my father whose name I share with him and his father. My father was best friend's with his father as an honor to him I was named for him. I have asked where the name Wadlington came from in the past but the only answer I've received it was the name of a rich white family that lived near my grandfather's family when he was growing up. I do not know the meaning of the name but I know that John originates in the hebrew and means God's is gracious.
I did not know that John was the English form of the Greek Johannes. People often assume my name is short for Jonathon but never assume it has anything in common with Johannes. John has also been the first name of four presidents. As an American family name, Johnson has absorbed patronymics and many other derivatives of this name in continental European languages.
John. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/meaning_of_John.html
John. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.behindthename.com/name/john
Johnson family history. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?te=2&surname=johnson
For my assignment I would look up everyone's name meaning once I had my class roster. On the first day I would call out the meaning of someone's and see if a person in the class thought it was the meaning of their name or perhaps they knew before hand. I would see if the class agreed just based on first impressions. It could be a part of a lesson explaining it is impossible to know people properly from first impressions but still be fun at the same time.